For the first time in history, the Atlantic Alliance (NATO) activated its response force this Friday, with troops that can act in special operations by land, air and sea, as a precautionary measure after Russia's invasion of Ukraine to defend to its member states in case they come under attack.
NATO's Supreme Commander, Gen. Tod Wolters, said in a statement that he decided to activate the multinational force so that it can be quickly deployed to support an alliance member if necessary, but not to fight for Ukraine.
"This is a historic moment and the first time the Alliance has employed these highly-ready forces in a deterrence and defense role," Wolters said.
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NATO countries have deployed troops and weapons in regions near Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion.
In this image, a US Air Force plane receives fuel from another aircraft over Poland, on February 24, 2022. US AIR FORCE / via REUTERS
The decision comes after NATO leaders warned that
Russia "will be held accountable for its actions"
and deployed additional troops to eastern Europe.
In a joint statement after a virtual summit chaired by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the 30 NATO leaders described Russia's attack on Ukraine as "brutal and totally unjustified and unprovoked".
"We have deployed defensive ground and air forces in the eastern part of the Alliance and maritime assets throughout the NATO area," they said in a statement.
The measure
does not imply that US or NATO troops enter Ukraine
, since this country is not a member of the Alliance.
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President Joe Biden made it clear that US troops are deploying to Eastern Europe to bolster the security of allied countries, but will not enter Ukrainian territory.
"These deterrence measures are prudent and improve our speed and response capacity to protect and safeguard the billion citizens we are sworn to protect," the general explained, according to the CNN news network.